瑜伽心得
RYT 2018最后一周心里即紧张又担忧。考完体式，明天要面临我最担忧的理论考试。 同事们都说佩服我的勇气，上班还要去上瑜伽老师培训班。几乎都睡不到几个小时。确实，这几天似乎体力有些撑不住了。但是，心理还是美滋滋的。觉得这一切的努力和付出都值得。通过这段时间的培训，身体的肌肉变得非常的结实，走起路也轻盈了，瑜伽一直练下去就对了。感谢茸儿老师和小C老师的悉心，耐心指导，你们就是我努力的方向。 菲菲
How I found yoga and what it means to me (1)
I came across yoga casually through a gym membership. The then me was more interested in other high intensity sports like running, body combat etc. Then, about 3 years ago, having bummed by foot from wearing high heels, i realized the aftermath of it made things like running long distance and HIIT somewhat harder to do. The pressure on the foot then was real. I decided to look into low impact activities as a form of exercise. Then I chanced upon a yoga studio offering a 1 month trial at $49. I grabbed at the opportunity, using that 1 month pass as a 2016 new year resolution – to see how many classes I could attend in that one month. I went for 17 classes that month, of which the majority were 7am classes on weekdays. I surprised myself and found that I actually liked going for yoga. I liked that hot classes made me sweat and had a detoxifying effect. I loved how Vinyasa classes were strong yet graceful practice. And how Ashtanga almost killed me every time, but yet had almost always made me wanna go back and try it all over again. At the same time, this got me started at a new habit of going for early morning yoga. It became a sacred time I had for myself during the work week and it still is for me today, 3 years later. To me, yoga is a form of moving meditation. Depending on which part of the day I practice, it allows me to take away the stresses and multitasking of the busy work day (lunch hour or after work practice). It also prepares my mind and mood for the work day (morning practice). I like that I can just focus on practicing during that hour, and genuinely be grateful that I’m able to make time on the mat to flow. The other part that rings true to me is a combination of the quote by K. Pattabhi Jois, which is “Practice and all is coming” and well as patience in your practice. In many ways I’ve seen this come true in my own practice. I may not be strong nor flexible when I first started, but slowly and surely with enough practice and awareness, one day I will get there. If I can’t get into the pose today, I should not force or dwell too much into it, as my body may not be ready or open or aware enough for the pose. However I should keep trying next time – in a safe and sustainable way – and keep in mind the journey of getting there someday. In essence, I found yoga a sustainable form of exercise that can teach me a myriad of lessons. I hope this learning never ends and that in future with this YTT, I would be able to inspire and spread whatever I’ve learnt to others as well. Namaste, Janice @jannypenny Sep 2018 Weekend YTT (Backdated thoughts from my make up theory class on 5 November 2018)
COMMUNITY
4th November 2018 COMMUNITY Being in YTT made me realize the importance of the yoga community. In the past, I used to be very self-conscious. I prefer to go for classes alone, as I do not want to feel inadequate, be it with regards to body image or how deep I go into every posture. I never saw the importance of making friends with my fellow practitioners nor felt the need to really communicate with them. It was always awkward for me whenever we had to do partner work. I liked having the freedom of going for any classes I want, cancelling anytime I want. And at times, I do slack off because I simply have no motivation to go for class. It was only this year that I started making friends in the studio I practice. From sharing the same space each week. They inspire me to move forward and to push on. They made me yearn to come for practice each week. And I found the same community in my YTT comrades. Community is when people begin to care about one another, and when they begin to share things that are important to one another. They celebrate your breakthroughs and your growth. They encourage you when you fall. This community is what makes our practice even more special. So thank you for practising with me. Thank you for accepting my vulnerabilities and holding space for me. Melissa @issa_lem
EFFORT BEFORE EFFORTLESS
3rd November 2018 EFFORT BEFORE EFFORTLESS This is something that my yoga teacher always says, and it connects with me. In this world where we are surrounded by Instagram worthy pictures, we often are in awe by how flexible or strong the practitioner is. These practitioners seem to be able to get into the asanas effortlessly. We end up chasing these so-called advanced postures. However, we forget that behind all these postures, they have placed a lot of hard work to get there. They have probably gone through the foundational postures millions of times before nailing these ‘advanced’ poses. We all started from the bottom once. We all were that timid little girl or boy hiding at the corner of the class on our very first yoga practice. We all once raised our hands up indicating that we were beginners. We still have asanas that are completely unfathomable to us. We still fall. We still fear. However, we stick through. We keep practising. We turn up time and again on our mats. We make the effort. Our practice may not be as advanced as we like it to be, but we are improving. Little by little. And one day, what might seem like pure insanity would be effortless to us. Let us enjoy the process of it all, however long or short it may take. It is a reminder that hard work pays off. Melissa @issa_lem
SIX YEARS
31st October 2018 SIX YEARS Today marks the 6th year that I have been practising yoga. Although it has not been consistent throughout, this is the longest that I have stuck through with something. Till this date, I am amazed that I found something that I have a passion for, and in spite of it being 6 years since, I am still constantly learning something new and embarking on new experiences like this YTT. My journey to being strong and flexible might have taken a lot longer than most, but I am still enjoying the process. I would never have thought that I will ever sign up for YTT. I never thought that I was ready. Till now, I still do not think that I will be ready. But when will we ever be ready? We will always think that we are not good enough and always seek for improvement. But that would just deter us from accepting new challenges and new experiences. What holds us back is often ourselves. We can actually do a lot more that we think we can. I have been toying with this YTT decision for the longest time. I am thankful for my loved ones, my teachers and my fellow yoga comrades who encouraged me to take this leap of faith. We are now at the halfway mark of our YTT. And I am glad to say that I did not regret making this decision. Melissa @issa_lem
EXPECTATIONS
20th October 2018 EXPECTATIONS Sometimes people get the preconceived notion that you are strong or that you are flexible, or that you can get into certain postures after seeing that you done it before. Your teacher might have certain expectations of you. Your fellow practitioners likewise. Unknowingly, you feel pressured to get into the deepest expression of the pose each time. You tend to want to live up to people’s expectations of you. However, there are times when you just want to take the simplest variation of poses. You just feel tired and want to go into child’s pose instead of completing the vinyasa. But you pushed through, so as to not disappoint them. On the flipside, there are days when you want to go deeper. But we are afraid of being judged for wanting to show off. We do not want to be seen to be deviating that much from the rest. We do not even realize it ourselves. Does it really make you any less of a practitioner if we were to take the simpler options? Why are we even trying to live up to others’ expectations when we should be listening to what our own body tells us? Let go of your expectations. Let go of your ego. Let go of your attachment to outcomes. Melissa @issa_lem
BE PROUD
7th October 2018 BE PROUD Be proud of your scars and embrace it. Back when I was in secondary school, I hated the fact that I had scoliosis. I detested the process of creating the braces where I felt so exposed. I hated that I had to wear braces underneath my uniform, underneath my PE attire. I had to buy bigger uniform just to fit the braces. I had to bear with wearing an extra singlet and braces, and tolerate the heat. I hid it from everyone. Nobody knew. There was once when one of my classmates playfully hit my tummy and asked why my stomach was hard. I came up with a feeble excuse and brushed it off. I soon stopped wearing it. In class today, we were made to analyse each other’s spines and point out the issues we have with our back. It was not as uncomfortable as I imagined it to be. Then I realized that I have accepted by body for how it is. Through yoga, I started to embrace my body for what it is and how it looks. I accepted that this is how it will be and that I have my limitations. I may not be able to twist as much as the student next to me, but that is just how my body is. I embraced my ‘scars’ and likewise, I do acknowledge how my body works in wonderful ways to help compensate my scoliosis. And now, I am proud to say that I have scoliosis. I may not be able to go into the full expression of certain poses, but this is who I am. 🙂 Melissa @issa_lem
MEANING
15th September 2018 MEANING OF YOGA Today is the first day of YTT, and it got me thinking about what is yoga to me? I first went into yoga looking upon it as a form of exercise. It took me quite a while to see the transformation and what I got out of yoga. It opened me up to a whole world of self-development and inner emotional work. I grew to be a better person. I arrived time and again on the mat. It taught me to let go of my expectations for myself and the people around me. I accepted myself for who I am and learnt to accept others for who they are. It made me more aware of myself and how I perceive things. I am reminded that vulnerability is beautiful and that everyone is vulnerable one way or another. I learnt to ignore my ego and to be present in the moment. It taught me self-kindness and self-love. I recalled a time when I missed a footing while walking down the stairs after a yoga class and ended up spraining my ankle. It was such a torture having to just rest and not do yoga just when I was seeing some progression in my physical asanas. I cried, but I came out of it learning to rest and to not be so hard on myself. I got on to my mat whenever I feel upset or lost, knowing that it will make me feel better, allowing me to focus on nothing except for the asana throughout the class. It was my form of self-care. There is so much more to yoga to pen it down in words. Till this date, I am constantly learning. And the learning will never stop. And with that, I know that when I do get my YTT certification one day, in spite of my inexperience, what I can share is my passion and how yoga can transform someone. And hopefully I will one day ignite the spark in someone’s practice. Melissa @issa_lem
Week 2 of YTT: Chakras and Letting your soul heal your body
This week we had a chat about Chakras – I don’t believe everything about it (yet), but I do believe in the overall sense that if your heart or soul is not balanced, your body can fall ill too. I think that western medicine actually also sort of believe in it, but because it can’t be scientifically proven, they call it “stress”. It was also uncanny to learn that if the heart chakra is unbalanced, you get immune diseases. I was diagnosed with lupus at 17 and survived for years on heavy medication daily. I was told by doctors to stay away from stressful things, be happy and try not to get worked up. Interestingly, lupus is one of those illnesses that no one can truly pinpoint the cause. So perhaps it’s something that happens when your heart or soul is unbalanced. Coincidentally, 3 years ago I left a job that I hated and I have been in remission for about 3 years. The doctors might say that it’s because I don’t have a stressful job anymore – but I never found my job stressful and the actual work is quite interesting. I just didn’t like the environment – it was overly competitive and filled with alpha males and people with intense negative energies; there wasn’t anyone whom I could trust and had to look behind my back all the time. I felt alone and I didn’t look forward to going to work. I was holding a lot of anger and my soul was broken and sad about having to spend time around people like that. I have not had to take any steroids for 3 years and this year my doctors have been working towards waning me off all medication. I no longer have a malar rash since I became more consistent with my practice. I used to have an explosive temper too, but that has disappeared as well (either from getting older, constant reminder by the husband that the real world is not filled with pink cotton candy or because I am no longer angry with the world). They sound like small steps, but for someone who have lived more than 10 years with a chronic illness, this is a huge battle won. But I was also thinking – I’ve been really lucky, and not everyone could just walk away from something that’s hurting their heart or soul, especially if it’s a job and they have families to feed. I remembered going for yoga classes in my moments of deep sadness or anger, when I was barely hanging on, (which was when I started learning yoga), seeking for a place to get away from it all and I did get some rare moments of peace (if only to be destroyed the next day). But maybe if I have had a more regular practice, or a teacher who was more in touch with ways to heal through the mat, then I could have held onto those moments of peace for much longer, learn to deal with all that anger and sadness, and did not have to leave the work. Perhaps one day I could bring this peace of mind to others through practice, for people who don’t have the same options as I did. I do admit that I joined the YTT not really with a strong intention to teach, but more to deepen my own practice. However, I guess as time goes on and the more I learn about Yoga and its teachings beyond the asanas, I’ve realised that besides building a strong physical body, I could also help to heal them beyond the mat. Till next time and wishing peace for everyone’s soul as well. Joan
啦啦 10/2018 RYT200瑜伽教练班 心得（5）
时光如梭，转眼间就最后一周了。这几天我们一直在练习排课和教课，也学习了骨骼和肌肉方面的知识，真的有点绕儿，特别是刚学完的时候，特别蒙圈！回家之后，开始逐图分解，不知不觉好几个小时就过去了，有时候连吃饭的时间都错过去了。不过这个练习的过程，就一遍一遍的加深印象，现在分析速度明显提高，还是那句话，百炼成钢。再来就是排课方面的，Nicole老师一针见血的指出了我的问题，好像一下打通了我对排课的任督二脉，让我受益匪浅，这是在我成为教练之路上学到的最宝贵的财富。感谢Nicole老师的教导，传授我方法，照着做，多练习，让自己每天进步一点点。接下来的排课，希望自己可以更精进，让大家都能感受到变化。还有最后几天，加油努力，希望对得起自己，也不让老师失望！
